The Deer Cardinal offers its semester farewell advice PAGE 2 University of Wisconsin-Madison
RUGBY TAKES SECOND IN NATIONALS
UW’s club rugby team loses 27-11 in the DII national championship game to Middlebury
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Close to 8,000 UW System students who received financial aid package projections in March will be given an average of $310 less than expected in grants for the 2009-’10 school year. The state Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee made cuts Wednesday to a proposal in Gov. Jim Doyle’s budget to spend more on Wisconsin Higher Education Grants, an increase in financial aid meant to protect students with family incomes of $60,000 or less from tuition increases. Connie Hutchison, executive secretary for the Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board, told the Associated Press student grants on average will be reduced to $2,300 from $2,600. “To those who are paying attention to their financial aid numbers and they are comparing to the memo they got in March to the one they get later in the summer, they will see a difference and not a good one,” UW System spokesperson David Giroux said. However, Giroux made it clear that the cuts were made to proposed, not concrete, financial aid amounts. He was not surprised by the JFC’s decision. “Given the condition
of the state’s finances, we shouldn’t be surprised by almost anything right now,” he said. According to Giroux, additional Pell Grant funds will offset tuition increases for many of the same people who would have received Wisconsin Higher Education Grants. State Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said the JFC’s cuts are only a recommendation and are “just one part of the process.” He said he is hopeful the state Legislature will end up passing Doyle’s original proposal. “We need to provide the maximum amount of financial aid possible so that higher education remains affordable to all regardless of their financial circumstance,” he said. Giroux also said the budget is a long way from being done and is still subject to change. “On the one hand, we recognize the state is in a very difficult financial position right now, and on that level it’s very understandable. On the other hand, financial aid has never been more important for our students, and so we’re still hopeful there might be some new investment in the WHEG program,” Giroux said.
KYLE BURSAW THE DAILY CARDINAL
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Faculty Senate adds review committee for Athletic Board By Grace Kim THE DAILY CARDINAL
ISABEL ALVAREZ/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO
Supporters of Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker rally at his gubernatorial campaign announcement last week in Dane, Wis.
Poll shows support for Walker as GOP gubernatorial candidate By Megan Orear THE DAILY CARDINAL
An unofficial poll taken at the state Republican Party convention in La Crosse puts Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, who has announced a run for governor, in the lead against other prospective Republican gubernatorial candidates. The poll, conducted by WisPolitics, asked 423 convention delegates and guests which candidates they would choose to be the Republican Party’s nominees for governor and lieutenant governor if the primary were held at that moment. Walker received 395 votes,
Talon show A Cooper’s hawk feasts on a female mallard duck at the top of Bascom Hill Monday afternoon.
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JFC decision may reduce student aid By Hannah Furfaro
SPORTS
and Mark Neumann, a former Wisconsin congressman who has said he plans on running for governor, received 25. Of the prospective candidates for lieutenant governor, Dave Ross, mayor of Superior, had the most support with 147 votes, and state Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, received 109 votes. Neither has officially declared that he will be running. UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin said polls like this one correctly reflect the sentiment of people who attend the convention, but Walker is the walker page 3
The UW-Madison Faculty Senate approved a motion to create an external review committee for the Athletic Board during its meeting Monday. Professor Bruce Jones, a member of the UW-Madison Athletic Board, drafted the proposal to create the committee and presented it to the senate. Although the Athletic Board previously conducted an internal analysis, the new committee will consist of seven to nine non-Athletic Board faculty members to review the group’s functions. Chancellor Biddy Martin opposed the motion. According to Martin, faculty members who stand outside of the Athletic Board cannot be called upon to review the group’s functions because they do not have genuine expertise. “It makes no sense to have a committee of five to seven members and call it an external review team … and imagine that that somehow is going to give us an accurate comparison to other institutions,” Martin said.
“This is not really about the athletics, this is about fairness and the integrity of the institution.” Jeremi Suri former member Athletic Board
Martin said if there is a need for review of the Athletic Board then “it ought to be done in a way that is really sound.” She said she does not think the faculty have enough expertise to make a sound review. According to professor Jeremi Suri, a former member of the Athletic Board, external review by an ad hoc committee is necessary because of serious allegations by at least five Athletic Board members. Allegations include harassment, mistreatment, miscommunication and intimidation. “I think we do have cause to investigate what is happening. I’m certainly open to an amendment which would allow people other than faculty to a review,” Suri said. “A number of people came to the university committee in two different years … and those people feel that their concerns weren’t adequately addressed.” Several previous and current members of the board said university officials did not address all earlier Athletic Board issues with the internal review. One of the members of the senate who pushed for the additional review committee said questions about the Athletic Board remained unaddressed by previous reports, documents and other statements. “When we have serious allegations about the body, we don’t let that body alone review itself,” Suri said. “This is not really about the athletics, this is about fairness and the integrity of the institution.”
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”
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All the weirdness ends, Kiera explains it all
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I don’t have an unnatural obsession with bodily functions Periods are funny. Vomit is funny. Most things that come out of your body are funny. Plus, they’re easy to make jokes about when I’m writing on deadline. But no, I don’t lie awake at night dreaming of feces. It’s just a funny word to say. Say it with me once. You know you want to. Feces. Wasn’t that awesome?
I’m not a sexual deviant Contrary to what I may have written over the past two years, I do not have sex, or fantasize about having sex, with young boys, puppies or any other illicit party. I have boring old vanilla sex with my boyfriend. End of story. The closest I’ve come to sexual deviancy was when my guinea pig pooped on my chest.
My family is not that crazy No, wait, they are. OK, first of all, if my family were completely sane, would I have turned out the way I did, typing away in the student newspaper trying to convince you that I’m not obsessed with my period and don’t commit sodomy with innocent puppies? Probably not. Although many of my anecdotes have been exaggerated, the ones on my family are the few that I’ve rarely altered. Yes, my grandma really did spit out her gum in her Diet Coke and then offer it to my aunt Julie, and yes, she often tells stories that begin with her defecating. She once asked if my brother’s babysitter ate his puke. My mom really hosted an extended
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KIERA WIATRAK taking kiera business fter writing my column for two years, it’s time to say goodbye. Although all I really want to do right now is curl up in a ball and cry while excessively thanking my weekly readers (assuming they actually exist), I thought a good way to end things would be to clear up a few misconceptions. Any good relationship is based on honesty, right? So I thought for my last column I’d let you all in on where I’ve been completely frank and where I’ve exaggerated. So I’m putting it all out on the table; no lies, no elaborations, just the plain, scary truth.
Deer Cardinal, What happens over summer to the bikes that get left locked up around campus? —Mike J. Monamuloola Mike, It’s a pain to find a good spot to stash your cycle when you leave for the summer. You won’t need it at home because you’ll have a car, but you don’t feel completely safe leaving it in Madison because it’s, well, Madison. Things around here have a funny way of disappearing. I’m guessing you’ve had your eye on a nice covered spot outside Grainger or along the side of Memorial Library to stow your Schwinn and just want to make sure you’ll have no surprises come September.
Well, here’s what happens to bikes left out over the summer. The city does not take too kindly to foulweather Madisonians who fly town in the summer with their bikes left in all the prime parking places. So they round up a mob of panhandlers and steel guitar players from State Street, give them all chainsaws and set them loose on the bike racks about town. The locks of the bikes the bums think have overstayed their welcome are cut off, and the bikes themselves are soaked in the blood of all the stray cats the city collected and then killed over the calendar year. These “blood red bikes” are then securely locked up at various locations across town, a grim reminder for citizens of the dangers of bicycle and pet overpopulation.
Pissed off about something? Feel like your opinion isn’t being heard? Apply to be a Daily Cardinal Opinion Columnist. Submit 3 pieces 550-650 words long to opinion@dailycardinal.com. Deadline is June 10.
Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608-262-8000 or send an e-mail to edit@dailycardinal.com.
I get some weird e-mails A lot of you guys have sent me really awesome e-mails. But I’ve gotten some pretty fucked up ones, too. Like one girl wrote to me regarding my puppy obsession column, advising me that there’s more to raising a dog than cuddling. Really? Thanks, sweetheart. I thought I was writing a humor column, not a guide for caring for your new puppy. Another guy e-mailed me after my Shakespeare column to tell me that I was so dumb because I didn’t memorize every line of “Othello” before I went to the play that I should give up all hope of going to an Ivy League grad school. If he’s such an Ivy League scholar,
why’s he reading my column and emailing me detailed criticism of it? If it’s so beneath you, don’t read it. I really don’t care. I’m actually nice to my boyfriend Regardless of the constant references to me doing awkwardly erotic things to other people, I don’t cheat on my boyfriend. I did once ask him to make a celebrity crush list, basically a get out of jail free card to have sex with specific celebrities, but that was when I was still jaded after seeing Emile Hirsch’s penis in “Into the Wild.” I’m over that now. Honest. I don’t make that much up If it doesn’t seem realistic, like an animal lover making animal sacrifices, or trying to get an abortion when I wasn’t actually pregnant, it didn’t actually happen. But if it seems semi-feasible—like making passes at truckers over my friend’s radio, or my masseuse groping my breast and seeming to enjoy it—it happened. Only e-mail me if you’re going to be nice. Otherwise I’ll find another way to make fun of you in a public forum. wiatrak@wisc.edu.
Life is hard. The Deer Cardinal is here to help.
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family “Would You Rather?” competition where we all had to write our own perverted “Would You Rathers.” And yes, I was proud of my victory. My dad, the most sane of all of us, actually is a urologist, and we really do hear him say things such as, “How firm is your erection?” from the dinner table. And at one point, he tried to get a license plate to say “DICKDOC” or “ICUPEE” that was denied. Although I have a feeling my mom might have been the one pushing him to do it.
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Deer Cardinal, What should I do to celebrate the end of the year? —Kyle B. Kyle, Most students like to have a few drinks, relax, or hit the terrace after their last exam. Although this sounds nice, it is not nearly as fulfilling as it could be. Instead of doing the normal thing, do this. As soon as you turn in your last exam and the TA has added it to the pile, jump up on the table at the front of the room and tear your shirt off. Then say, “Course evaluation? How’s this for a course evaluation?” as you moon the entire class. In the stunned silence that follows, grab all the completed exams from the TA and run out of the room screaming,
“See you in hell, losers!” After you have gotten rid of the exams, you’ll really be ready for summer. Correction: Last week the Deer Cardinal stated the cause of the bird flu was Man Bear Pig. Many of you have written to tell us that this is completely ridiculous and has no scientific basis. Right you are. The actual cause of swine flu is Man Bird Pig. Sorry. Like the Deer Cardinal? Send your regards to deercardinal@dailycardinal.com.
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Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Report tracks poverty, growing need for food in Wisconsin Poverty affects 1 in 7 children, 11 percent of state population By Megan Orear THE DAILY CARDINAL
A report released Monday by the UW-Madison Institute for Research on Poverty showed a growing trend of need for food assistance since the start of the recession and determined poverty in Wisconsin has increased since 2007.
“The report can be used to target areas of greatest need within our state.” Timothy Smeeding director UW-Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
The report estimates Wisconsin’s poverty rate has risen 1.8 percentage points overall since 2007 but has increased much more for children. According to the report, one in seven Wisconsin children and 11 percent of the state’s population lived in poverty in 2007, the most recent date for which poverty information is available.
walker from page 1 only visible GOP candidate at this point, which is still very early in the race. “What these results show is that the people who filled out the ballots have heard of Walker, they
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Seniors pass on their ‘student wisdom’ with new website
Wisconsin had the 37th highest level of child poverty. “We see the Wisconsin Poverty Report as a key starting point for Wisconsin’s anti-poverty plan,” institute director Timothy Smeeding said in a statement. “The report can be used to target areas of greatest need within our state.” In 2007, some of the highest poverty rates were concentrated in the middle and northern counties of the state, but Milwaukee County had the highest rate with 17.3 percent. Because the most recent poverty data could only be collected from 2007, the report looked at Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program monthly data to track changes in the need for food, which is often linked to poverty, between 2007 and 2009. The report found that between these dates, SNAP participation in the state grew 37 percent. Milwaukee County, however, saw the smallest increase in need for food assistance, suggesting this need is growing faster in the rest of the state. The report attributed the majority of this increase to the current recession. “The acceleration of the SNAP growth trends since 2006 suggests that the impact of the recession is broadening and deepening poverty within our state,” the report reads.
Bud Selig, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, will be UW-Madison’s 2009 spring undergraduate commencement speaker, campus officials announced Monday. Selig will speak at all four of the university’s undergraduate commencements May 16 to 17 at the Kohl Center. Selig was born in Milwaukee and earned his bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison. He served two years in the armed forces, after which he returned to Milwaukee to work in the automobile business. Selig has served on the boards
of visitors of UW-Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs and the Department of Political Science. Two annual awards are given in honor of Selig, one given by the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation and another given by the National Association of Collegiate SELIG Directors of Athletics and the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation. Two of the undergraduate
commencements will take place Saturday, and two will take place Sunday. Another commencement Friday will honor those receiving honorary, doctoral or professional degrees. The commencements, which are each approximately one and a half hours long, will be webcasted on the university’s website. Transportation for the event will be provided by free shuttle bus service between the Lot 17 ramp at Camp Randall and the Kohl Center. Buses will run every 10 to 15 minutes. To view the commencement, students, family members and friends can visit www.wisc.edu. —Erin Banco
think he would be a credible candidate and they’re excited about it, but really opposition has not made itself felt,” Franklin said. Neumann, who nearly beat U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., in his bid for the Senate seat in 1998, may still have many sup-
porters in the Republican Party but will have to re-establish himself in the party, especially among younger people, Franklin said. Meanwhile, Gov. Jim Doyle has not announced a bid for reelection, likely because he has no reason to start early and does not
want problems with the budget to be associated with his campaign, according to Franklin.
The poll, conducted Friday and Saturday, was not endorsed by the Republican Party of Wisconsin.
Two UW-Madison seniors hope to leave their “student wisdom” behind after graduation with their creation of a new interactive website designed to inform students about different aspects of college living. The website, called StudentWisdom.com, includes student opinions on topics such as classes, restaurants, living, bars and textbooks. Co-founder and UW-Madison senior Eric Bachman said he wished he had had this type of information earlier in his college career.
“With so many classes to choose from, I would have really liked to know other students’ opinions before enrolling in a random class and walking in blindly,” Bachman said. “After four years here we thought of a way to organize aspects of college life at UW into categories where fellow students can rate and give their opinions on different areas on campus.” The website also includes an exchange section that allows students to arrange transactions for textbooks, tickets and sublets. UW-
Madison senior and StudentWisdom. com co-founder David Berezow said that because he didn’t know any older students, he had to learn about different aspects of college life through trial and error. “Being so far away from home with so many options, I thought to myself, ‘I wish I had guidance from other students,’” Berezow said. “There are so many different websites out there for different aspects of college life, but this has all of these different areas on one website.” —Rachel Holzman
Major League Baseball commissioner to speak at graduation
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Tuesday, May 5, 2009 Tuesday
Letter to the Editor: HFCS not healthy
Moderation is the key to a healthy diet, but how are Americans supposed to accomplish this when the vast majority of food products in the grocery store contain HFCS? According to Daniel Engber, author of theslate. com article “Dark Sugar: The decline and fall of high-fructose corn syrup,” high-fructose cornsyrup “accounts for almost half of the added sugars in the U.S. diet today.” A staple of that diet is soft drinks, of which “the average child drinks over 500 cans a year.” Now estimate the amount of HFCS consumed by children and adults annually, considering the previous statement on soda alone. Moreover, the reason why HFCS replaced regular sugar was not only about cost, but also the product having a longer shelf life. Therefore, a multitude of sources include this type of sweetener to preserve it longer, and HFCS appears everywhere you look while grocery shopping as a result. I have
found that even in something as simple as bread, HFCS can be found, not without noticing the concurrent “100% Wheat” and “All-Natural” affirmations among the many brands. I agree that HFCS is not the only source of the problem for the ever-present obesity problem in America, but it is not as innocent as it seems. Sean McMaster’s statements in “High-fructose corn syrup is high in misconception,” are valid, however he failed to realize the simple truth of the matter that moderation is virtually impossible. With HFCS accounting for almost half of the added sugar today, and the fact that it is present in the kinds of foods commonly overconsumed by Americans, excess in fructose is significant. Americans need to get healthier and be more active, but the food we eat needs to get healthier too. —Kyle Swiggum —
Tackling same-sex marriage one last time TOM HART opinion columnist
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n this, my final column, I choose to address the most pressing issue at hand in American society. What is that, you ask? The last great civil rights hurdle: same-sex marriage. When I wrote a column denouncing the passage of Proposition 8 last semester, it seems that I really offended some of the religious zealots. One of the online comments was nearly essay length. Because of the high number of responses (all negative, in fact) and the continuing battle for same-sex marriage rights, I felt that the topic was an appropriate one to return to. Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa currently allow same-sex marriages, and Vermont will join them on Sept. 1 of this year. Four states out of 50 is a start, but if this movement is going to gain any more momentum, the public must rise up and support the rights of our fellow citizens. The fact that this struggle is still ongoing is shocking. I am proud to live in a society that has transcended several civil rights abuses in the last century. However, I am confused as to how homosexuals in this country are
not offered the same opportunities as everyone else. I find this appalling. The arguments against same-sex marriage are flimsy at best. Traditionalists argue that marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman and homosexuals cannot procreate. This argument is ridiculous. Where is this definition? If it is in the Bible, it should have no bearing on American law. Besides, not all “properly defined” married couples can procreate, because of fertility issues. Some might say that homosexuals cannot properly raise their children. Where is the data to support this? The Circuit Court of Hawaii saw numerous studies on the subject when determining whether to ban same-sex marriages in 1996 and found this was not true. Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice C.J. Marshall said it best when giving his ruling in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. “In this case, we are confronted with an entire, sizeable class of parents raising children who have absolutely no access to civil marriage and its protections because they are forbidden from procuring a marriage license,” Marshall said. “It cannot be rational under our laws, and indeed it is not permitted, to penalize children by depriving them of State benefits because the State disapproves of their par-
ents’ sexual orientation.” I find it interesting that those who criticize the child-rearing ability of same-sex couples have no argument against child molesters, murderers, drug addicts and ex-convicts when it comes to raising children. In my Proposition 8 column, one of the commenters asked why I didn’t criticize the Bible for giving us the Ten Commandments or criticize the religious opinions of Martin Luther King Jr. Aside from the fact that this statement is completely irrelevant, I did not criticize these religious opinions because they do not discriminate against a large portion of the American citizenry. The United States has long been looked up to as a bastion of freedom and universal human rights. The longer this country ignores the discrimination rooted in samesex marriage bans, the longer it will betray the very essence with which it was founded. In closing, my message is: Shape up America! Quit betraying everything you stand for. Stand up and defend your fellow citizens as you have done in the past. The civil rights hurdle lies right before us, and it is only with widespread public support that it can be overcome. Tom Hart is a senior majoring in history and political science. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
Specter’s switch may be for the best By Eamon Doyle THE DAILY CARDINAL
Last Tuesday, the front page of The New York Times was emblazoned with some of the most exciting political news since Obama’s victory in November —Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania plans to switch parties and run on the Democratic ticket in 2010. This increases the likelihood of a 60-vote Democratic majority in the Senate, which would allow the party to enact legislation without the threat of Republican filibusters. This possibility in itself, however, is not the reason for my excitement. I identify as an independent and generally feel that rigorous and consequential debate is an important part of our legislative process. Under most circumstances, I would regard the prospect of an impotent minority party as a cause for concern. The circumstances surrounding Specter’s decision, however, merit unique examination. My excitement about Specter’s announcement stems from my belief that his move will actually increase the possibility of meaningful debate in our legislature. Specter has emphasized that, if elected, his vote will not belong to the Democratic agenda. His voting record in the Senate supports his claim of independence and speaks to his willingness and ability to pursue aims that diverge from the trajectory of his party. Specter is, above all, a man of principle and a legislator of the classic mold who vigorously propounds his appreciation for the constitutional separation of pow-
ers and for the role of contentious debate in the legislative process. Some commentators have already expressed concern over the Democratic Party’s warm acceptance of Specter, who demonstrated a conservative stance toward Bush-era tax cuts, the Iraq war, and the Military Commissions Act. Why, these commentators wonder, would the Democrats embrace a member who is likely to express opposition to important elements of their agenda? Well, perhaps because they accept the validity of perspectives that deviate from the ideological norms of their party. Perhaps because they see the value in a caucus composed of diverse viewpoints. The Obama administration offered meaningful overtures to the GOP during the development of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, overtures that were publicly scorned by members of the Republican leadership such as John Boehner, Eric Cantor and Michael Steele. The virulent and divisive attitude exemplified by these figures is symptomatic of the current GOP mindset ,which seems to regard the legislative process as a bureaucratic street fight and appears increasingly devoid of a coherent political philosophy. Obama and many of his supporters appear willing to consider input from opposing perspectives. If there is a political incentive—a 60-vote majority, for instance— for the president to find common ground with moderate perspectives on the right, one that does not force him to engage a combative, unreasonable and ideological minority in Congress,
I find it likely that he will take the opportunity to broaden the appeal of his agenda. Specter’s defection represents an opportunity to elevate the political debate in Washington. If the Democratic leadership handles this situation with care, they could be in a position to cut off fruitless influence from the ideological far right while simultaneously initiating a more meaningful collaboration with moderate conservatives. There is no doubt that political calculations factored into both Specter’s decision and the Democrats’ enthusiastic reception of the news, but we should be cautious not to draw the wrong lesson from this fact. It is true that Specter’s odds of winning the Pennsylvania Republican primary have decreased with the rising popularity of his conservative challenger Pat Toomey, but it is worth noting that 200,000 Pennsylvania Republicans switched their party affiliation and joined the Democrats during the same period. This is a shocking number and reflects the diminishing appeal of a Republican Party that increasingly defines itself based on a combative, far-right ideology. Specter understands that his odds of remaining in office will increase with his defection, but his choice to pursue that course of action may not reflect malign political ambition, but rather his desire to continue representing the emergent moderate majority in Pennsylvania. Eamon Doyle is a junior majoring in postmodernism. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
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Tuesday, May 5, 2009
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With the arrival of summer comes the season of mixtapes DALE MUNDT croco-dale rock
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PHOTO COURTESY TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION
Hayden Christensen showcases his various emotions, ranging from sulky to depressed. What a star.
May the 4th be with you By Kevin Slane THE DAILY CARDINAL
I woke up on Monday knowing it was going to be a special day: Star Wars Day, a veritable Christmas for geeks everywhere. Based off the fact that “May the 4th be with you” sounds remarkably like “May the force be with you,” the day is a lighthearted tribute to one of the most profitable film franchises in American history. I entered the day unsure of what to do to honor George Lucas’ great film series. I went to my first class, “Introduction to Film,” where we were doing a unit on science fiction. As we went through class, I paid rapt attention, learning about the various subgenres and genre hybridizations in the world of sci-fi. As we watched a clip from “Return of the Jedi,” I realized what I had to do. As soon as lecture ended, I sprinted home, ready to watch each and every “Star Wars” film in chronological order. I’ve recorded my experience here for you, both to bring attention to the great day and to allow the readership of Madison to laugh at my dorkiness.
3:00: I pop in “The Phantom Menace” and lie back on my sectional couch, excited to begin. About 20 minutes in, I remember why “Episode I” was such a disappointment. Some of the characters are good, but Jar Jar Binks is insufferable. Lucas excels at creating entire worlds of fantasy, but the dialogue in between can be as soft as a pile of bantha fodder. 5:30: After a short bathroom break, I delve into “Attack of the Clones,” another inferior member of the canon. At least Anakin Skywalker has grown up a bit, but Hayden Christensen’s brooding teenager still doesn’t hold a candle to Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker of the original trilogy. 8:45: I decide a belated dinner is in order. I should have made my job easier by starting with the celebrated “A New Hope” and continuing into my personal favorite, 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back.” Now I still had the 140-minute “Revenge of the Sith” sitting in between me and the trilogy I grew up with. One of my roommates walks by. “‘Star Wars?’ More like ‘Star Bores!’ ‘Or Star Snores,’” he
says with a laugh. Despite his needling, I must continue on. 9:00: “Revenge of the Sith” begins. I’m excited because this is the best of the newer three movies, and it finally lets audiences see Anakin Skywalker make his transformation into Darth Vader. General Grievous mystifies me, as the concept of a robot with a persistent cough seems at odds with what other science fiction films have taught me. Still, the numerous Wookies, lack of Jar Jar Binks and high number of lightsaber battles makes “Revenge of the Sith” worth it. 11:45: Against all odds, I’ve managed to start “A New Hope” before midnight. Unfortunately, my editor is calling me every 10 minutes, begging me to send my story. Turns out yelling “stop the presses” for a story about me sitting on my sectional couch watching a bunch of “Star Wars” movies is frowned upon. Still, I vow to labor on, watching movies until I’ve become cemented to my couch like Jabba the Hutt. To read the thrilling conclusion of Kevin’s adventures, be sure to head to dailycardinal.com/arts and see if he survived the viewing marathon.
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here are a million reasons to love the summer, like enjoying warm evenings outside, seeing people in skimpier clothing or driving with the windows down. Unfortunately, those can also be reasons to hate summer, as in the swarms of mosquitoes that roam the summer nights, your overweight and hairy neighbor who insists on mowing the lawn without a shirt or the guy at the stoplight who wants everyone to hear him rocking out to Limp Bizkit. But my favorite reason to love summer is the summertime mixtape. About this time every year, I get the urge to start making my own mixes. Making a mix is, as John Cusack says in “High Fidelity,” “a very subtle art. Many do’s and don’ts. First of all, you’re using someone else’s poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing.” Here are a few of my rules for making a kickass summer mixtape. First of all, I like to pin down a reason or a theme for the mix. This usually helps me narrow down the song choices. It could be something as simple as “songs that will keep me awake through the mindless oblivion that is the Indiana toll road” or something really specific like “songs that make me think about kickball and my eighth grade lunchroom.” Maybe the most common way to do this is to make a mix based on a specific mood that you’re feeling. Who hasn’t made a breakup or depressed mix? You can make mixtapes for specific activities, like lawnmowing or making out in the backseat. Topical mixtapes are always fun, like “songs about oral sex,” or “songs by guys who claim to get more oral sex than they actually get.” Oh wait, I think I might have just repeated myself. Another interesting challenge is making a mix around some specific word that has to be in the title or the lyrics. But sometimes the best mixes end up being full of songs you just love to listen to. Second, pay attention to the tran-
sitions between the songs. This is what separates the true mixtape artist from the hacks who just burn discs. Sometimes, songs flow well from one to the next, despite differences in style or genre. Other times, you will have two great songs that just don’t sound right next to each other. It’s not difficult to tell whether two songs flow together, you just have to listen to the transition. My third rule is to show some musical diversity. I know you may really love bluegrass or funk or ska, but 70 minutes of any genre can get monotonous. Throw in a song or two that you like from a wildly different genre. Maybe fit a Frank Sinatra tune between songs by Nirvana and the Meat Puppets. Another way to add some spice to a mix is to use songs ironically. Throw a Britney Spears song in with some favorites, or maybe use part of a Fray song as the outro to your “hardcore gangsta rap ’09” mix. Or, you can use old songs to break up the newer tunes on your mix. Normally, adding a Beach Boys or Roy Orbison song not only adds some chronological variety, but also can change the mood.
About this time every year, I get the urge to start making my own mixes.
My last rule is to pay attention to the presentation of the mix. The details of the presentation depend on what you’re going to be using the mix for. If you are giving a mix to a girl you like, you may want to spend some time preparing some liner notes or cover art, not to mention a better name than “Summer Jams ’09.” But if you’re just looking for something to listen to on the way home, you probably don’t need to worry about a clever name. So, this summer while you’re stuck at a stoplight and a Limp Bizkit song comes up, do the people around you a favor and turn the music down slightly. Have a sweet summer mixtape of your own? Share it with Dale at dpmundt@wisc.edu.
New Albums of the Week Here are some of the best new albums coming out this week, including our editor’s pick of the week. New Releases Ben Harper & Relentless7 - White Lies for Dark Times Conor Oberst - Outer South Yusuf Islam - Roadsinger (To Warm You Through The Night)
Unless you have a corncob pipe and a tweed jacket, i doubt you’ll make the cut. Prove Dr. Cardinal wrong by submitting three (3) sample columns between 500-600 words in length to arts@dailycardinal.com by May 18th.
Editor’s Pick: The Cool Kids - Gone Fishing Just when you think the long wait for the Cool Kids’ first fulllength LP, “When Fish Ride Bicycles,” can’t last any longer, they put out another tease. On the heels of two EPs and a mixtape, the Cool Kids manage to fill more time with a 21-track free mixtape titled “Gone Fishing.” Aside from the overtly appropriate title for a filler mixtape, it promises extensive work through 18 completely new tracks. Even though it’s not technically their debut, any material coming from this Chicago-based, indie hip-hop duo is reason to get excited. Hopefully this means they are saving their precious few gems for their LP, especially since they are throwing this package at listeners by releasing it for free on their website without any warning. This proves at least one thing: They know how to keep their fans interested.
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Party central! The Mexican community celebrates more then 365 festivals each year. Cinco de Mayo is one of them. dailycardinal.com/comics
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Eating a taco
Today’s Sudoku
Anthro-apology
By Eric Wigdahl wigdahl@wisc.edu
© Puzzles by Pappocom
Angel Hair Pasta
By Todd Stevens ststevens@wisc.edu
Solution, tips and computer program available at www.sudoku.com.
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. The Daily Code
funkiness
a b c d e f g h i
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Sid and Phil
By Alex Lewein lewein@wisc.edu
“N st kzhp fwtzsi, htruwjsij? Lzs, lzs, qtfiji. Gfsl, gfsl. Dtz ijfi.” Quote from The Mexican Yesterday’s “You can leave in a taxi. If you can’t get a Code: in a huff. If that’s too soon, you can leave in
taxi, you can leave a minute and a huff.”
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
The Graph Giraffe
By Yosef Lerner alex@sidandphil.com
Evil Bird
By Caitlin Kirihara kirihara@wisc.edu
Answer key available at www.dailycardinal.com B NICE ACROSS
1 Statistical components 5 Sinister spirit 10 Parental challengers 14 Vigorous enthusiasm 15 Deposed leader’s fate, sometimes 16 Soft drink flavor 17 Circus purveyors 20 Stuff that goes off 21 Santa’s burden 22 Can’t forgo 23 Like staples 24 Atoms that have gained or lost electrons 26 Primary source of income 32 Comedy club sounds 33 It lands at Ben Gurion 34 Bale fodder 35 Checked out 36 Herculean types 38 Gael’s language 39 Stay forever, as in jail 40 Argument’s weakness 41 Cooperates with crooks 42 Song in “The Paleface” 46 Double-curved molding
47 Mediterranean gulf 48 Pleasant scent 51 Word on le menu 52 Nitrogen, e.g. 55 Inn 59 Give off 60 Cousin of a gazelle 61 Song for Madama Butterfly 62 Rat Pack nickname 63 Map collection 64 Roentgen discovery DOWN
1 Thing of interest? 2 Parsons with a Project 3 Acerbic 4 Shakers leader Lee 5 Strong request 6 Perfecta, by another name 7 Ritzy wrap fur 8 Timeworn 9 Bird’s honker 10 Worst for driving 11 ABC’s “The ___” 12 Appealed earnestly 13 Recites, as prayers 18 “___ directed” (medicine alert) 19 Void, as a marriage 23 It’s drawn with a rifle? 24 Not up to anything 25 Seaport in Scotland 26 Marshy backwater
27 Butler in a Civil War flick 28 Site of the first labor of Hercules 29 Hurled 30 Some bridge players 31 Food grains 32 Spearmint or peppermint 36 Get to the point? 37 “Anything ___?” 38 Raven- colored, to Poe 40 Colonel Klink’s foil 41 One way to be taken 43 Club member? 44 Nine days of prayer 45 Doesn’t look forward to 48 Tucked in 49 “Do” followers 50 Wednesday was named after him 51 Asian sea 52 She had a “Tootsie” role 53 Vast continent 54 Reprieve from the governor 56 Org. involved in seizures 57 Short diner order 58 Office staple
Frugal Gnome
By Lindsey Heinz and Emily Villwock lheinz@wisc.edu
sports
dailycardinal.com/news
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Men’s Track and Field
tennis from page 8
Rebuilding process to continue at Big Ten Championships
are ranked No. 26 and are second alternates to the 32-tandem doubles bracket. To Baumann, being a second player to represent the Badger talent is a step in the right direction for a squad that continues to add ambitious young talent to its singles lineup.
By Parker Gabriel THE DAILY CARDINAL
With the Big Ten Championships only one week away, it would seem very easy for the Wisconsin track teams to overlook the last event of the regular season. That will not be a problem for the Badgers, however, according to head coach Ed Nuttycombe. The team will get the rare chance to run on home turf this weekend as they compete in the Wisconsin Twilight Invitational at the McClimon Memorial Track/ Soccer Complex. “We’re always excited. We don’t have a whole lot of opportunities to compete at home,” Nuttycombe said. “We’re looking forward to the weekend and our final preparation for the Big Ten Championship.” “We are going to be substantially better next year, but right now we want to take care of this year.” Ed Nuttycombe head coach UW Men’s Track and Field
After the Badgers wrap up the regular season in Madison, their focus will shift to the Big Ten Championships, which will be held at Ohio State May 15-17.
Despite dominating the conference in the past, winning 10 of the last 14 outdoor Big Ten titles, Wisconsin will enter the meet as a relative long shot to take first. The Badgers lost a lot of skill and experience coming into this year, leaving Nuttycombe and his staff with a team that, although talented, is very young. That makes for a bright future and big expectations down the road, but the Badgers are focused on what they have got right now. “We are going to be substantially better next year, but right now we want to take care of this year and do the best we can team-wise and compete like champions,” he said. As Nuttycombe points out, just because the team suffered heavy losses after last season and has not dominated the competition this year like it has previously, does not mean that the Badgers are without talented athletes and standout performances. “There are a number of athletes who are competing well, we just might not have the mass numbers that we’ve had in the past,” he said. Among those athletes that have stepped up this year are junior runners Jack Bolas and Craig Miller and freshman polevaulter Mickey DeFilippo. Bolas and Miller turned in two of the five fastest 1500m times in school history at the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford last week-
end. The race, which Bolas and Miller finished in 3:37.64 and 3:37.81, respectively, featured some of the fastest times ever run by collegiate athletes. DeFilippo nearly set a school record for pole vaulting this weekend but saw the bar wobble around just enough to fall down. Still, the freshman has shown significant improvement since the beginning of the year. “We’re looking forward to the weekend and our final preparation for the Big Ten Championship.” Ed Nuttycombe head coach UW Men’s Track and Field
“I wanted [DeFilippo] to make it because he has been vaulting really, really well and is making some big strides,” Nuttycombe said. As the Badgers close out the regular season this weekend and move forward into the Big Ten Championship and NCAA Regionals, they will do so without being in the alpha-dog position that has become expected in Madison. However, look for Wisconsin to make some noise and remind the rest of the conference that they are talented, hard-working and itching to get back to the top.
passion from page 8 people were not passionate enough to read what I have to say. For that reason, it did not faze me at all when I got called a hack for saying the hiring of Rich Rodriguez was a bad move by Michigan. I can understand when people bash me back for calling out their Muppet mascots. People are passionate about their sports, and it is worth the abuse to bring out the best in every true fan that stands behind their team—even if they are sporting maize and blue.
Best of all, that passion gives us something that we all seem to have an earnest interest in and can talk about.
That same passion also gives us all something to rally behind. The Green Bay Blizzard and Madison’s own Wisconsin Wolfpack operate on little more than the pocketbooks of some hearty entrepreneurs and their proud, local fans.
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“It probably shows how the program has improved over the last 30 years. It shows that we’re on the right track,” he said. The winner at the Illinois regional will join those from 15 other sites to advance to the final rounds at Texas A&M May 14 to 19. The singles tournament will follow on the same courts May 20 through 25. Best of all, that passion gives us something that we all seem to have an earnest interest in and can talk about. Did the refs blow it for the Cardinals by not calling for a replay on the last play of the Super Bowl? Are the Packers doing the right thing by staying quiet in free agency? Was C.C. Sabathia itching to play somewhere other than New York? Is it really worth it to amputate a finger to play one last year of college football? My passion for sports led me to this opportunity to share with you my thoughts every week and your opportunity to let me know what you think. It has been a pleasure and a priceless experience as both a writer and a fan. I am grateful for all of you who took the time to share it with me, from Parkside to Ann Arbor, Fairfax to East Lansing, and especially to those of you who pick up The Daily Cardinal every day here in Madison—our common passion has brought us together for the last time. Thank you, and on, Wisconsin! Still think Rich Rodriguez was the right call for Michigan? Send your farewell hate mail to avansistine@wisc.edu.
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dailycardinal.com/sports
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Club Sport Spotlight: Rugby
Passion makes sports more than entertainment
Division II title game yields second place
By Nick Schmitt THE DAILY CARDINAL
The Wisconsin rugby team returned from the Division II National College Championships this weekend after reaching heights no other Badger rugby team has, but they still felt unsatisfied. By beating Miami (Ohio) 1412 on Friday, they became the most successful rugby team in the university’s history and earned a spot in the national championship game against the 2007 champions, Middlebury. But the Panthers were too much for the Badgers and concluded their perfect season with the national title. Wisconsin entered the match against Miami, which was nicknamed the “Midwest Championship Rematch” by UW captain Sean Beuche, with a chip on their shoulders. After losing to the RedHawks 24-0 last fall, this was their opportunity for revenge. “We came out knowing their game plan but also just ready to play our own game, and some great kicking by Webster Schelble
helped us put some points on the board,” Beuche said. “A 14-12 victory is rather close on paper, but it felt like we owned the game the whole time.” Schelble became Wisconsin’s key to victory by kicking three penalties. The only try in the game came five minutes into the second half and was all the Badgers needed to win. In Saturday’s championship match, however, the Badgers’ nerves showed up. Middlebury’s experience and the Badgers’ lack of it resulted in a lopsided first half. Wisconsin senior flanker Ryan Funderburk was impressed with the environment but also aware of the Badgers’ anxiety. “The championship game against Middlebury had an incredible atmosphere,” Funderburk said. “The field was immaculate, and there were lots of fans in the stands, which always adds to the excitement of everything. At the end of the first half we were down 20-3. Some guys may have had the jitters because it was such an
ANDY VAN SISTINE sistine’s chapel
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PHOTO COURTESY UW RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
After defeating Miami (Ohio) to advance to the Division II rugby national championship game, Wisconsin fell to Middlebury 27-11. important game.” Middlebury’s athletic ability and fluid ball movement added up to be too much for the Badgers. After Schelble’s second penalty of the match the, deficit was down to 14, and then Wisconsin wing Ben Knight scored a try, putting some pressure on Middlebury. It looked like the Badgers had clawed even closer, but a controversial call kept points off the board. Shortly after, the Panthers scored and put the game away. “They play rugby very well and have a ton of speed,” player and president Quentin Reuter said. “Our coaches are so great. I can normally say that while we might
not be the biggest or the fastest, we normally always play the game at a higher level, but on Saturday that just wasn’t the case.” With a final score of 27-11, Wisconsin’s season ended, but the team took pride in going farther than any previous Badger team and look forward to doing even better next year. “Being such a successful team, especially coming from relative obscurity as the 16th seed at nationals, is a very cool feeling,” Funderburk said. “But we’re not finished yet. We surprised a lot of people this year, and next year we plan on doing it all again, only this time as No. 1 in the country.”
Men’s Tennis
At-large bid takes Badgers to NCAA Tournament By Emma Condon THE DAILY CARDINAL
The season has been a wild ride for the Wisconsin men’s tennis team, but after earning their third straight at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Badgers will travel to Champaign, Ill., to take on Louisville in the first round.
After briefly earning their first top-20 rank in over 30 years, the Badgers found mixed results on their spring campaign, finishing 4-6 in the Big Ten (16-10 overall). According to assistant coach Evan Austin, it was likely the victory over Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament that moved
LORENZO ZEMELLA/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO
Sophomore Marek Michalicka will help Wisconsin men’s tennis try to avenge their regular season loss to Louisville at the NCAA Tournament.
the squad back to No. 32 and secured a bid for the Badgers that, who otherwise have been on the bubble. “I think it was never a question of if we could achieve it or not … and we still can kind of improve with Louisville,” freshman Patrick Pohlmann said. Louisville handed the Badgers their second loss of the season in February by pulling the match out from under them in a close 4-3 decision. But according to Austin, the upcoming match is less about settling a score with Louisville and more about making a strong run worthy of the tournament. “They have a lot of guys that are real scrappy. They fight hard, they make a lot of balls … and all through their lineup they’re a good team,” Austin said. “We know really what to expect, and we know we have to bring our best game and be ready to compete hard against them.” Led by No. 28 sophomore Austen Childs, the young Cardinals have swung through the rankings to No. 21, finishing 20-7 and eager to prove themselves after failing to qualify for the tournament in 2008. With both teams looking for their first trip to the round of 16, the Badgers are bracing themselves for an all-out war. “We have to play really well, we have to compete really hard and of course you need a little bit of luck, too,” junior Moritz Baumann said. “Play it free and hopefully we’ll get to four [points].” If the Badgers come out on top, the winner of the matchup between No. 13 Illinois and Western Michigan waits for them Saturday in the second
round. The Badgers reached the second round for the first time in 2007, and their two trips back have put them among a select few in the Big Ten who have appeared in each of the last three years. The consistent growth is significant for the Badgers, who crossed another marker this year with Baumann and sophomore Marek Michalicka’s successes and will send two players into the tournament’s singles draw for the first time since 1975.
hen the year wound down last May and the opportunity to try my hand at writing a weekly column came up, I jumped on it. I never thought it would be easy, though I have to admit I never thought it would be this hard, either. You have to keep in mind that just because you have a strong opinion on a matter does not mean people want to hear it. On the flip side, when you have a strong opinion and put it out for people to read, they will hear about it—whether they like it or not. To get a nasty message back from a dissenter is a rude awakening if you are not expecting it, hardly less so if you are. On that note, I would like to make a counterintuitive claim: We all could really live without sports. Many people already do. Even those of us who seem to pick up the paper only for the sports section go stretches of days—sometimes weeks—without thinking about our favorite teams during the offseason. Sports are purely entertainment, unnecessary for the advancement of society and almost negligible among the most important events in the history of civilization.
People are passionate about their sports and it is worth the abuse to bring out the best in every true fan.
“[To] have two guys into the singles is definitely something special … so definitely those guys should be proud,” Austin said. “It means that we’ve got some of the top players in the country, and I think obviously that’s a good thing for recruiting and that’s a good thing for the program.” For No. 29 Baumann, this will be a return appearance after the southpaw fell in the first round of last year’s tournament to senior Travis Helgeson of Georgia. He enters the tournament on the tail of his 22-1 season and third All-Big Ten honor, joined this time by No. 57 Michalicka. As a pair, Baumann and Michalicka
And yet, athletes are paid millions of dollars to play a game in front of throngs of spectators. Families attend church adorned in green and gold jerseys and cheese-shaped hats without accusation of blasphemy. Hundreds of quarreling countries set aside their differences to send delegates to the same place to shake hands and play together for two whole weeks. Deceased relatives put season ticket rights in their wills. Corporations cough up billions of dollars to have their names etched on the side of sporting arenas. It is our passion for sports that allows all of these things to be commonplace, or for that matter, existent at all. Without passion, no professional team would have fans buying seats to keep them afloat, no nation would find the need to be represented in an international contest and no child would ever aspire to be the best at playing a game. The word “athlete” itself would be meaningless because nobody would have the will to take part in athletics without the passion to play. And I certainly would not be writing a weekly sports column if
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“We have to play really well, we have to compete really hard and of course you need a little bit of luck, too.” Moritz Baumann junior UW Men’s Tennis